St. Mary’s County Court Records

In St. Mary’s County, Maryland, Court records encompass various types of documents and information related to legal proceedings. The primary types of records included in court records are summaries of actions and fillings in a case- which are typically stored in docket sheets and other case documents- complaints, motions, orders, judgments, evidence, writs, testimony, and subpoenas. The County Clerk of Court has the legal responsibility of creating, filing, and maintaining St. Mary’s County court records.

Are Court Records Public in St. Mary’s County?

Pursuant to the Maryland Rules of Procedure and the Maryland Public Information Act (PIA), court records in St. Mary's County are broadly available to the public. The act balances the public’s right to access information with protecting sensitive records and individuals' privacy rights. St. Mary’s County residents have unfettered access to information about court proceedings, ensuring transparency and accountability in the legal system.

While most court documents are open to the public, access to confidential documents is restricted. In St. Mary's County, these confidential records include records from juvenile and adoption cases, as well as any other records sealed by the courts. Sealed court records cannot be accessed unless the court issues a formal directive.

St. Mary's County Court Records Search

Individuals can conduct a comprehensive search of court records at the district court clerk’s office or the circuit court clerk’s office. Alternatively, they can take advantage of online databases offered by the courts. In addition to these avenues, third-party platforms offer consolidated access to public court records.

To get copies of court records, the circuit court charges $0.50 per page. Certified copies come at an additional cost of $5.00. Requesters should show valid identification, particularly with in-person requests. A passport or driver’s license would suffice. Requesters should be prepared to present court warrants or additional documentation for access to certain types of records containing sensitive information. For those who would like to take advantage of the Maryland Judicial Case Search platform, they are required to create an account.

St. Mary’s County Court Records Search by Name

The Maryland Judicial Case Search system offers access to court records. Individuals seeking records on this platform should initiate the search by providing the name of the party of interest within the search area. They can also provide their date of birth to narrow down the search. Following this, they should select the “search” option to get a list of judicial cases. Next, they should pick the case of interest for more details. Although online search is free, the court clerk charges a fee for reproducing copies of documents.

If requesters require copies of court records or comprehensive information, they should carefully consider visiting the courthouse where the case was initially heard. It would be ideal for them to schedule an appointment in advance to optimize their search experience.

St. Mary’s County Courts

The St. Mary's County court system comprises the Circuit Court, District Court, and Orphans' Court. Adjudicating all civil and criminal proceedings, the Circuit Court is a court with broad jurisdiction. Conversely, the authority of district courts is specific to certain kinds of matters like local ordinance violations, infractions, and misdemeanors. It also handles preliminary hearings connected to these matters. The Orphans' Court specializes in matters relating to guardianship and probate.

The list below outlines the different St. Mary’s County, Maryland courts and their contact addresses:

St. Mary's County Circuit Court
St. Mary's County Courthouse
41605 Courthouse Drive
P.O. Box 859
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: (301) 475-4200

St. Mary's County District Court
23110 Leonard Hall Drive
P.O. Box 1509
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: (301) 880-2700

St. Mary's County Orphans' Court
St. Mary's County Courthouse
41605 Courthouse Drive
P.O. Box 602
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: (301) 475-5566
Fax: (301) 475-4968

St. Mary’s County District Court Records

The St. Mary’s County District Court handles a wide range of legal cases across several categories, including:

• Landlord/Tenant Cases: This involves disputes between landlord and tenants over matters such as evictions, rent payment disputes, and lease agreements.
• Replevin Actions: These concern the recovery of personal property wrongfully taken by another party
• Traffic Violations: This category involves cases such as DUI charges, speeding tickets, and other traffic-related offenses
• Criminal Cases: This involves misdemeanors and certain felony cases
• Civil Cases: The court handles all civil disputes for $30,000 or below.

Individuals who seek access to St. Mary’s County District Court records can stop at any of the county’s district courthouses; there, they would be required to provide the names of the parties involved or the case number. The Maryland Judiciary Case Search is an online resource and database of district and circuit court records in the county. Requesters can leverage this resource- moreover, they would also be required to provide information such as the names of the parties involved and the case number.

St. Mary’s County Criminal Records

St. Mary's County's official Court records for criminal cases are official documentation kept by the court system about criminal law proceedings. Access to these materials is governed by Maryland Public Records Act. The law mandates that public agencies grant access to residents. Among these criminal records are St. Mary County arrest records, prosecutors' allegations, arraignment, court transcripts, witness statements, evidence, and verdicts. Interested individuals can review these documents.

Apart from the courts, law enforcement departments like St. Mary's County's police stations and the local Sheriff's office provide access to criminal records. The Sheriff's office is also an appropriate location to conduct criminal history background checks. Individuals looking for a more thorough criminal record check can go to the nearest St. Mary's County police station.

St. Mary’s County Criminal Court Case Lookup

The State Government's online portal, eFileGA, is available to individuals who are interested in learning about criminal court cases in St. Mary's County. They need to visit the eFileGA page on the website. Then, select "Criminal eFiling" from the "eServices & Record Search" section. This will redirect users to the Odyssey eFileGA search page, where they will be required to register. After logging in, they should select "Case Search" and provide the necessary information, including the location, case number, and sort option. They will be able to access the court records that are available in the search results.

Individuals may contact the County District Clerk's office for further details on how to obtain specific case information or documents.

Get St. Mary’s County Civil Court Records

Civil court documents are accessible at the District Clerk's office of St. Mary's County, Maryland. Case files, pleadings, docket documents, transcripts of proceedings and trials, settlement agreements, and jury verdicts are among the varied records available. The office typically updates these documents regularly. The Maryland Rules of Procedure lay out the framework that regulates access to these records. To obtain civil court records, requesters are required to provide the party names or case numbers.

To submit a request, individuals must provide the court with specific information regarding the case, including the names of the parties involved, the case number, the filing date, the accusations, and any other pertinent information. The cost of ordering court records is contingent upon the nature of the request.

St. Mary’s County Family Court Records

Family law matters in St. Mary's County fall under the purview of the Circuit Court. This court addresses a broad spectrum of family-related legal issues. That is everything from marital dissolutions to child-centric concerns, adoptive processes, protective orders, and beyond.

The county operates without a separate family court. These cases are incorporated into the existing Circuit Court framework. Individuals interested in accessing family court records must visit the Clerk's office. There, they can initiate a records request. They should be as detailed as possible- relevant case numbers, names of parties involved, and any other pertinent information that might facilitate the retrieval of the desired documents.

By default, family court records are open to the public and can be viewed by anyone. Nevertheless, certain records may be exempted from public access to protect confidential or sensitive information. The eligibility to access these restricted records is typically determined on a case-by-case basis. The important deciding factors are the nature of the case and the requester's connection to the parties involved.

St. Mary’s County Marriage and Divorce Records

The Circuit Court Clerk's Office is the custodian for St. Mary's County divorce record copies. To get started, requesters would need to provide the names of the individuals involved in the divorce, as well as the date the divorce was granted. And if a personal visit is impossible, they can as well, also request a copy by mail.

Requests can be sent to the Clerk's Office at:

St. Mary's County Clerk's Office
St. Mary's County Courthouse
41605 Courthouse Drive
Leonardtown, MD 20650
Phone: (301) 475-7844

Divorce verifications are provided by St. Mary's County as an alternative to complete divorce decrees. These verifications are only available to the divorced parties, their legal counsel, or authorized agents with written consent from either party.

The process for obtaining a verification involves submitting a completed Application for Verification of Divorce Record to the Maryland Department of Health (MDH). Applicants must provide comprehensive information- both parties' names and divorce details. There is a charge of $12 per verification.

St. Mary’s County Birth and Death Records

To get a St. Mary's County birth record, requesters would need to submit a signed request with the following information:

• Subject's full name
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Mother's maiden name
• Father's name
• Name
• Mailing address
• Phone number
• Relationship to the subject

There's a fee for each birth record, and extra copies cost more. Requesters can pay by check or by money order made to the Vital Records Department. They must include the completed form, a self-addressed envelope, and a copy of their state-issued ID.

St. Mary’s County Probate Court Records

St. Mary's County probate courts play a crucial role in addressing a variety of legal issues- mental health commitments, guardianships for minors and incapacitated adults, eminent domain disputes, trust administration, and the probate of wills. The legal proceedings result in numerous documents- from guardianship orders and report to letters of administration, trust agreements, estate inventories, and assessments.

Access to these probate records is facilitated through two main channels. For general or recent documents, individuals can make an in-person visit to the St. Mary's County Courthouse. However, those seeking older or more specific records may need to file a formal request. They would have to provide specific details about the records they want to get.

St. Mary’s County Property Records

St. Mary’s County property records are legal documents detailing information about a property. They establish the current owner, as stipulated in the deed. They also shed light on key aspects of the property, such as assessments, mortgages, and tax obligations. Due to the synergy between the county clerk’s office and other agencies of government, residents can choose the most appropriate means to obtain information about local properties.

Individuals seeking property information can either visit the County Clerk's Office in person or submit a request by mail. The available data covers a wide range of details, including property ownership information, physical characteristics, tax-related data, legal documents, and foreclosure information. Additionally, the agency in charge of Assessments and Taxation provides a property data system. This resource is publicly available and rich in information about local properties.

St. Mary’s County Court Records Online

For online access to St. Mary’s County court records, individuals can use the Maryland Judiciary’s Case Search platform. They can conduct a name search by providing the full name of the party of interest. In case they do not know their full name, they can use the first two letters of the last name and the “%” symbol. This filters out records from which they can select the appropriate record. They can filter by other parameters such as county, case classification, and filing date.

On the other hand, third-party platforms provide online access to court records. Such platforms like marylandcourtrecords.us offer user-friendly features that facilitate the search process. They are location agnostic, enabling users to access records without geographical barriers. However, these platforms have limitations. They are not guaranteed to provide accurate and current information as they aggregate information from various sources. Also, users should follow good data security practices to safeguard sensitive information.